CHROM'S POV

"Honestly, Lucina, I can't believe you!" I practically hissed. We were in the command tent and I was pacing rapidly. I had to keep moving to keep from chucking the table. Lucina looked close to tears. "I'm sorry I actually care about what happened to Robin! Unlike you!"

That stopped me cold.

"Do you think Robin would want you dead on some unauthorized unnecessary mission to recover his body?" I said, fighting to keep my voice level. Lucina's mouth formed a hard line. "And what did you find? A litter of corpses and two vigilante mercenaries! Was that really worth it? What if you were jumped? What if you died?"

That did it. Lucina stood up abruptly, knocking her chair over in the process. "I am done speaking to you, Father." She said, and left the tent. I sighed and looked at the medal pinned to my shirt. A gift from Robin right before he left 'In case you need me if I don't make it back' he had said, grinning.

"Yeah, a lot of good a lousy medal will do." I grumbled to nobody in particular. Robin had died. Three little words with such an impact behind them. He was a mine and he had blown up right in the center of the Shepherds, embedding shrapnel in the form of grief into everyone's hearts.

Especially Lucina.

Ever since the news had come back, her nightmares followed suit. She grew moodier and nobody could coax her out of it. She disappeared for long periods of time to train, skipping meals and barely interacting with anybody. Then, she vanished with Morgan and Christian for a week.

Everybody had thought she deserted. Until she returned a week later with two strangers- Gerik and Nick- with news that Robin's body was gone from the battlefield. I told her to keep quiet and that he had most likely dragged himself into the woods only to die.

Truth is, I didn't want to get my hopes up about other possibilities.

PERSEUS' POV

"Keep quiet, Madelyn. Someone's coming!" I hissed to my companion. We both immediately leapt into trees, concealed by the leafy foliage, and waited. And waited. I was about to emerge when three figures came into the clearing.

"You sure we went the right way, Archie?" the girl in front, a brown-haired girl with a staff hanging from her belt asked irritatedly. Archie, a black-haired man with a lethal-looking sword to his back rolled his eyes. "Yeah, May, I'm positive. We've been following the map, right Barry?"

The third figure nodded, his blond hair bobbing up and down. Madelyn held up three fingers and then made a clawed gesture. I nodded and tensed up. Madelyn nodded and we leapt from the trees, weapons out.

Quick as a flash, May, the girl in front, pulled her staff out and pointed it at us. At once, a silvery dome appeared over the travelers and Madelyn and I slammed right into it. We hit the ground right side up and held our weapons at the ready.

"Don't try anything. I have a barrier set up in a 30-yard radius around us. Try and run we'll hunt you down. Surrender now and maybe lord Walhart will show mercy upon you pieces of trash." May said, smirking.

Madelyn scowled. "Valmese. I knew it. Let's give these idiots a taste of what the RoV can do!" she said. She held up two fingers and pointed to the left, and then her pinkie finger to the right. I nodded briefly. May snarled. "You dare resist? Perhaps we need more intimidation! Barry!"

Barry nodded, dropped to his knees, put one hand on the ground and began to chant. "I think you and Barry will get on well." May said, smiling. "He's a Necromancer, so he utilizes Dark Magic without tomes." Necromancer. That meant trouble. Madelyn and I exchanged glances and we immediately knew the battle plan.

The ground started to churn as we both stepped back in sync. A small horde of Risen had… well… Risen from the ground, each equipped with a slew of weapons. Barry stood up and pointed at us. "Attack the nonbelievers!" he shrieked.

The Risen flew towards us at an incredible speed. Madelyn nodded. "Execute!" she pulled out her tome and quickly began to chant. May raised an eyebrow. "Bolganone!" she finished, and swept her hand.

The cracks from which the Risen had appeared began to glow red. Using the three-second window of surprise I had, I darted over the range of Madelyn's spell and sunk my sword into Barry's chest. He made a guttural cry of vengeance as the ground behind me erupted in an explosion of heat and light.

I cast my sword aside and turned to face Archie and May. May was shocked. "A-Archie! Go kill him!" she shrieked. Archie pulled the sword off his back- seven feet long with a diameter of about two feet. It would take incredible strength just to LIFT that sword, let alone use it.

However, Archie got along just fine. He dashed at me, holding the sword with both hands. May raised her staff and a small barrier appeared in his path. I didn't even have time to wonder what she was doing as Archie kicked off the sphere in one quick move and was coming down on me.

'You and Barry will get on well.' May couldn't have been more wrong.

I leapt into the air after Archie. He seemed surprised I was taking the fight to him while we were six feet in the air. Knowing each second was precious; I punched him in the stomach. He chortled for a brief second, as if he thought a punch was the only damage I inflicted. We both landed on the ground.

"Well, worm, it was a good try but I have a gut of- AGH!" Archie doubled over and fell to his knees. May frowned. "Archie? What's- AHH!" May screamed as Archie exploded in a flash of green light. All that remained was a spatter of blood and green smoke.

May dropped her staff. "Y-you…. Archie…. You just…." I grinned. "Yeah, I have magic power stored inside me as well, cleric! Better run!" Of course this was a complete and total lie. Across Valm people spoke in hushed whispers of 'The Man With Magic Resonance'. That would be me. They said how after merely hitting a man, they would spontaneously combust. Which, I guess is true.

However it wasn't because of my magic power. As I draw near my target, I carefully slide a mine- or a bomb of magical energy- from up my sleeve into my hand. Then, when I 'punch' them I really burst the mine and bond the energy to the enemy's clothes. Then I have seven seconds to get out of the three-foot range before they go ker-pang.

Of course some people would label me a con artist but really I just did it to scare the shit out of my enemies. "You won't get away with this!" May shrieked, and pulled out a medal. "I will contact Lord Walhart immediately! I will-!" I dashed forward and punched her (in the stomach of course. I am a gentleman) with my opposite hand and back flipped away as the mine detonated.

Madelyn appeared at my side. "Shall we keep going?" I nodded. "We shall."

Jack's Corner

Probably two of my more favorite non-child OCs. So my last update will probably be Sunday night because my flight leaves Monday at 6:00 AM so I'll be up and out at like 5:00 knowing my mother. So, as always, enjoy!